Leaf turner



Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,662

. G. E. MEYER LEAF TURNER Filed May 28. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 afMeye 5 Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

UNITED STATES GUSTAVE EDWARD IVJIETSEB,J OF NEW MEADOWS, IDAHO.

LEAF TURNER.

Application filed May 28, 1925.

This invention relates to leaf turners and has for its main object the provision of a simple device whereby a musician will be enabled to turn the leaves of a book or of a composition without any perceptible pause in the playing. The invention seeks to pr vide a device for the stated purpose which may be easily applied to the desk of a piano or to a music stand and by which the leaves or music sheets will be held in proper position to permit ready readingof the notes and may be quickly turned when the end of a page has been reached in the playinO. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in vertical section and partly in end elevation, of a piano desir having my leaf turner mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the leaf turner;

F ig. 3 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. i is a front elevation showing one of the leaf-carrying bars swung into the position assumed after turning the leaf;

Fig. 5 is a. top plan view of the device with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 4; Y

Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 6-t of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a detail section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail plan view of the linger lever by which the device is manipulated Fig. 9 is a detail section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a different form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 17 the numeral 1 indicates a piano desk to which the device is applied. in carrying out the` invention, T. secure to the desk 1 at a proper point in the height thereof a bail or loop2 in which is tted the .lower end of a supporting plate or standar-d 3 which has its lower end offset, as shown at il, w iereby the upper portion of the said supporting bar or standard will be set out `from the 'desir and marring of the deskr will be thereby prevented. The upper end of this standard 3 is fitted in a loop or flattened eye 5 on the rear side of a base bar-or plate 6 and a set screw 7 is mounted inthe said bail or eye whereby to secure the base barto the support. AThe said' base plate or-bar extends Serial No. 33,547.

laterally with respect to the support so that its greater length is disposed at the right of the support in front of the piano desir, and projecting forwardly from the upper and lower edges of the said base member are lugs 8 in and between which is fitted a pin 9 upon which the leaf-carrying and turning arms 10 are pivotally mounted. As shown mostclearly in Figs. 2 and el, springs 11 are coiled around the pin 9 and have their ends extended laterally to bear respectively against the front face of the base member 6 and the rear faces of the respective arms 10 when the said arms are in their initial' positions so that,if the armsbe released, the force of the springs will be exerted to swing the arms about their pivots to the left side of the central support. Each arm 10 is equipped with depending spring clips or clasps 12 which are adapted to engage the upper edges of the respective leaves or sheets of the music so that each bar will hold one music sheet or leaf. l also provide at the outer end of each arm 10 a light rod 13 which is adapted to bear against the baci?I of the sheet or leaf before it is turned whereby the sheets or leaves will be positively separaten and after a leaf has been turned the proper rod or support 13 will rest upon the edge of the same so that it will be held flat and will be prevented from fluttering to interfere with' the reading of the music. In order that a book may be positively held open upon the piano desk or the music stand, similar holding members 14 are attache-d to and depend from the opposite ends of the base plate 6, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The arms 10 are normally held at the right of the device by a catch 15 which is preferably in the form of a leaf spring having one end 1G secured to the base bar 6 upon the back thereof and having the greater portion of its length extendin@- forwardly through an opening 17 in the base bar whereby the pendent tooth 18 at the front end of the catch is adapted to engage over the upper edge of the front arm and retain the same in a position substantially parallel with the base member, as will be readily understood upon reference to Figs. L3 and 6.

`To release the catch 15 from-the arm 10 so that the arm maylfswi-ng-tovthe opposite side vof the devieefI provide `a rocking arm or lever 19 which pivotal-ly mounted between its ends-upon the front-face o f the `base member 6 and' `has its inner end disposed immediately 1oelow the end'of the catch 15, as clearly shown. The outer end oi' the lever is enlarged vertically to form a head 2O and to the lower end of said head is attached a chain or light wire 21 which extends down wardly to a position immediately above the piano lreys or to the base olf a music stand. The lower end ot this flexible connection is attached to a presserI 22 wiich may be secured in any convenient or preterredmanner to the tall board 2S ot the piano or the base oi the music stand. rl"nis presser piece consists essentially ot a short lever 2d tulcrumed at its inner end to a holding` bracket and norinr-.lly held by leat' spring` 26 in such position that the tiexible connection 21 will be taut and the lever i9 will respond instantly to any pressure exerted upon the said presser member. ln the upper portion ot the head 2O is formed an opening 2'? which accommodates a second spring catch 2S similar to the catch 15 and extending through an opening v29 i'ormed in the base plate 6 adjacent the right-hand end of the same. rlhe spring latches 15 and 28 are so proportioned and disposed that thecatch 15 will normally engage the upper edge of the iront turning arm 10 while the tree working end of the latch 28 will be disposed above said arms, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. When a, leat is to i e turned, a downward pressure is exerted upon the presser member 22.r thereby pulling downwardly upon the head 2O oi' the lever 19 and rocking said lever so that the catch 28 will be caused to engage the inner or rear turning arm while the catch 15 will be released by the inner end oi' the lever from the front turning` arm, whereupon the latter arm will at once swing` to the left and turn the sheet. Vhen the pressure upon the member 22 is released, the torce of the spring- 26 and of the spring catch 28 combine to return the lever 19 to its initial position withdrawing the catch 2S from the rear turningv arm and permitting` the catch 15 to engage said arm.

In order that the leer-carrying` arms may be held against accidental turning` when the device is not in use, I provide a hook 30 which is hung on the bar 6 at the end thereo'l in position to engage over the arms. llVhen not in use, the hook hangs tree back of the leaf-carrying arms.

t is frequently desirable to have means, additional to the rods 13, ior holding the sheets or leaves tiat and the pendent bar 31, or the bar 32.` may then'be employed. The device shown in Fig. 2 is adapted particularly for use with loose sheets and includes a clasp 33 carried by the lower end of the bar 31 and extending laterally to engage and -hold the side edge ot the sheet. The clasp is held upon the bar by a pin or rivet 3e and, between the clasp and the bar, a lateral arm 35 is pivotallyv mounted upon said ldlhen the trent turning arm is released pin or rivet so as to Jfold over upon the bar or extend laterally therefrom as desired. lllhen extended laterally, as shown in Fig. 2, the arm 35 will pass behind the sheet engaged by the clasp and in turning` the same so as to avoid tearing;- at the point ot engagement of the sl eet by the clasp.

lWhen the device is used in connection with boch, the clasp 33 is, ot course, unavailable, and the structure shown in Fig. 10 is employed. ln this t'orm, arms 86 are -Iformed integral with or rigidly secured to the pendent bar am. the bar and ai' are placed baclr oi' the leat to supporU and aid in turning the same. in both forms, the several elements will be so proportioned as to avoid obscurinp,` any of the notes or other musical characters.

The several clasps 12 are shown 'provided with hoolrs 3"? engaged through slots in the leaf-carrying arms and the bar 32 is shown as equipped with a clasp 89 clamping the leaf-carrying arm but other means tor suspending the parts upon the arm' tray be employed. To prevent jamming ot the front leaf-carrying Varm against the rear arm, a stop lug,` /10 is provided on the iront side of the rear arm.

lWhile the device is shown mounted upon a piano,I it may be mounted upon a music stand without any substantial. structural change.

lt is thought the operation ot the device will be readily understood from what has been said. rllhe book or music sheets are placed upon the piano deslr or the music stand in the usual manner and the clasps 12 oi the respective tin-:ningarms are ene'l red with the upper edges of the respective sl Wts so that the iront arm 1() will carry the front leaf which may have to be turned and each turning arm will carry one leaf' or sheet. The catch 15 is long enough to extend across all the turning arms and engage over the upper erge of the foremost arm, as shown in l lgs. 2 and 5, and it will be understood that any preferred number oi: arins may be provided although two arms will usually be suiiicient. Then a pull is exerted upon the flexible connection 21, betere stated, the foremost arm 10 will be released from the catch 15 and the spring` 11 engaging said arm will once swing it over tothe lett side or" the device so that the music will be turned promptly and so quickly 'that continuous reading oi"- the music is possible and the pe ormance is not perecptibly interi ipted.

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intluence or its spring 11 but the iat-ch will be lowered by the action ci the l ver 19 so that it will eng-age said second arm and prevent the complete turning ci the same, When the presser 22 is released, the lever 19,

next turning arm tends to swing;I une l z 'of course, recits tu its initial ghaositioinV pushing the enten 28 upward to release the turnin@ erin und permitting the Cutcb l5 to device is eiieeedingly compnet und Y, und muy be grodueed e low oost. it irzw be applied tr any pinne or inusic Ad will nge etticiently et all tinies.

. l. i s 1 w L: ig thus leseiibed tne invention, I

i 'turner comprising u suiport inl: rally enten ling bese ineinber,

leuii-turi in er ns pivotnlly tbe buse ngitudinnl V o L 1 exten une' forwardly there 'S to eng the urinea end a. r

inounted unen the bese ineinber i a geeble with suie latelies di the next inner turning e rin. turner comprising sri-: port inlaterally extending; buse inen'iber provided with longitudinally spaced openjs t1eretl'iro'ig'li spring' le elles secured inendently nnen tue beek of the seid buse und elite-Laing forwardly throuub tire openings therein e nlurnlity erin nwe/telly ineu i ed upon the er und norn'uilly extending along member under said leielies to be engaged thereby, ineens upon the bese ineinber to ,Curing trie respective :mns when rel-nfi' tl lfh l 1'1". -t ieisoc ion ne uwe es, anc a JL1p inemoei invotally mounted upon the base between the latches and simultaneously actuating the latches in opposite directions Wl'iereby to release one latch from tbe foremost turning` erin and engage the other latch with the next inner turning erin.

El. .si l eut turner Comprising` e support includlng e. laterally extending over he upper edges of 'the urineq meins A. LA

lie support-ing inennber to swing the ctrve arins when released from the etches, n trip lever pivoted between its ends the supporting ineinber benveen the fetches end lier/'lng one end disposed under -5 1e adjacent latch to bear against the saine j 't o posite end provided with en openreeeive tile other latch, the rst-nienlatch normally engaging; over the turning erin and the last-inenli being normally held out oi engnneinel'lt with the erin by the trip member, und ineens for rocking the trip nien'iber whereby the first-mentioned latch will be released from the foremost turning arm and tbe second-mentioned latch will be simultaneously engaged with e Second turning erin. to prevent swinging` movement of the letter.

in testimony whereof alii): niy signature.

L n resne 1 t tioned lete 

